What To Do List - M

This alphabetical list helps you determine the best way to dispose of everyday things. Click an item for instructions on how to dispose, recycle, or drop off your items. Click on the icon for more information.

If the item you are looking for is not listed, please call us at 612-673-2917 or email us at SWRcustomer@minneapolismn.gov and we will let you know how to dispose of the item(s) and will add them to the What To Do List.

Mace or Pepper Spray

Do NOT place in the garbage cart. This item NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

Call the local police precinct for proper disposal.

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. Do NOT place in garbage. Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information.

Magazines and catalogs

Mail

Mattress

Mattresses are collected on RECYCLING WEEK ONLY.

Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to your garbage cart on recycling week only. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Will be picked up then next business day after recycling day.

If the mattress is in usable condition, consider donating it to an organization that helps provide household goods to low-income families. Here are several locations that will accept mattresses and other household furniture for donation:

Medical Waste

Do NOT place in the garbage cart. This item NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

Home care medical wastes such as bandaging, tubing or latex gloves that are contaminated cannot be disposed of in the garbage cart. Check with a home health care provider, or contact a health care provider or pharmacy about disposal options.

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. Do NOT place in garbage. Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information.

Medication & Prescriptions

Garbage waste is burned daily, so therefore it's ok to place unsued medications in your cart, but before doing so, see precautions below. NEVER flush your unused medications.

Precautions:

-Keep the medication in its original container. The labels may contain safety information and the caps are typically childproof. Leaving the content information clearly visible, cover the patient's name with permanent maker.

-Modify the contents to discourage consumption. Add a small amount of vinegar to pills or capsules to at least partially dissolve them.

-Liquid medications: Add enough table salt, flour, or nontoxic powdered spice, such as mustard to make a pungent, unsightly mixture that discourages anyone from eating it.

-Seal and conceal. Tape the medication container lid shut with packing or duct tape and put it inside a non-transparent bag or container such as an empty yogurt or margarine tub to ensure that the contents cannot be seen. Do not conceal medicines in food products because they could be inadvertently consumed by wildlife scavengers.

-Discard the container in your garbage can: Do not place in the recycling bin.

Medication Bottles (empty)

Mercury and Mercury Switches

Do NOT place in the garbage cart. This item NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

Items such as: barometers, button batteries, fluorescent lamps, temperature thermometers, thermostats and switches in various appliances. Mercury is a nerve toxin that is especially dangerous when inhaled, and particularly toxic to the developing nervous system of a fetus or young child, as well as dangerous to the environment.

Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information and web resources. Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. Do NOT place in garbage.

Metal Box/Bed Springs, Cloth Box/Bed Springs.

Metal box/bed Springs are collected on recycling week only. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day.

Cloth box/bed springs are collected on any garbage day. Place next to the garbage cart. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Limit of 2 large items per garbage day.

Metal Drums

This item collected on recycling week only. Drum must be open and completely empty. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week.

Metal Items

Metal items are collected on recycling week only. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Will be picked up the next business day after recycling day.

Metal Shelves

This item collected on recycling week only. Shelving must be less than six (6) feet in length and bundled. Bundles not to exceed 40 lbs.

Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day.

Microwave

This item collected on recycling week only. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day.

Mineral Spirits

Do NOT place in the garbage cart. This item NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. Do NOT place in garbage. Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information.

Mirrors

Small pieces can be double bagged and placed inside the cart. Place larger pieces next to the garbage cart. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Limit of 2 large items per garbage day.

Broken mirrors can be trimmed to make smaller mirrors, contact a glass dealer for additional information.

Molds: Plastic

Monitor: Computer

This item collected on recycling week only. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day.

Moth Balls

Do NOT place in the garbage cart. This item NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. Do NOT place in garbage. Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information.

Motor Oil and Oil Filters

Containers that have liquid motor oil remaining can NOT be placed in the garbage cart. Oil filters also may NOT be placed in the garbage cart. These items are NOT collected by Solid Waste & Recycling or accepted at the South Transfer Station. Disposal with garbage is prohibited.

By State law, a person cannot place brake fluid, motor oil, oil filters, power steering fluid, or transmission fluid in the garbage, on the land, in water, down a sewer, or in the storm drain.

Some automotive service stations accept automotive fluids & oil filters, for a fee.

Items marked Caution, Caustic, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Volatile, or Warning should be considered a hazardous waste product and proper disposal is required. This includes empty containers. Do NOT place in garbage. Go to Hennepin County A-Z Guide for additional information.

Empty motor oil containers may be placed in your household garbage.

Motors: Household Appliances

This item collected on recycling week only. Limit of 2 large items per recycling week. Place next to the garbage cart on the recycling day. Please post a sign or write on the item "For Solid Waste". Item will be picked up on next business day after recycling day.

All other motors, check the Yellow Page under "scrap metals". Item can be brought to a scrap metal dealer for recycling.